


Masking It

by FinickityinFields123 (lifetheuniverseandeverything42), lifetheuniverseandeverything42



Series: Attack of the plot bunny! [1]
Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Autism, Autism Shutdowns, Autism Spectrum, Autistic Original Character, Canon Autistic Character, Major Original Character(s), One Shot, Overwhelmed, Panic Attacks, Post-Season/Series 03 Finale, Self-Insert, season 4, shutdown, spoilers?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28114368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifetheuniverseandeverything42/pseuds/FinickityinFields123, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifetheuniverseandeverything42/pseuds/lifetheuniverseandeverything42
Summary: Shaun comes face to face with another on the spectrum and maybe he doesn't handle it so well.
Relationships: Lea Dilallo/Shaun Murphy
Series: Attack of the plot bunny! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1776028
Comments: 12
Kudos: 6





	Masking It

**Author's Note:**

> While I am openly Autistic myself, that does not mean my own eccentricities represent all of the spectrum nor Shaun and thus I have aimed to keep him as close to canon as I can. (The OC is basically me though). 
> 
> Set in Season 4 - pre Christmas break. (Spoilers?)

The day had started out as normal as it ever did.

Dr Shaun Murphy arrived at the hospital on-time, meaning several minutes early for his shift, prepared for the day ahead.

In the hospital, after the obligatory round of 'mornings' amongst the residents and attendings, their patient lists were handed out; Shaun scanned the information currently available.

22 year old female. Complaining of headaches.

His eyes sought out the medical data first, before searching for her name. Theia Taylor.

Alliterative, he noted silently.

With two junior residents in tow, he proceeded to her bed. Slipping through the curtain, he found an agitated young lady (his brain vaguely registered her physical attributes: medium length brown hair, 'sharp' grey eyes, thin features, proportionately sized nose, wide hands that never stopped moving for a second) letting Dr Jackson take the lead as Shaun listened to the woman's replies.

Analytical mind relentless, Shaun gazed at her - for a moment, their eyes met. It only lasted a second at most, but when her stare met his, Shaun felt a sort of jolt - almost like recognition - before each broke the contact. He wasn't even sure the others noticed, but Shaun's agitation grew as they stood there; eventually they decided on an MRI, but as the patient was not an emergency, simply a puzzle that her family doctor had been unable (or possibly unwilling) to solve, she would be waiting for several hours.

As soon as he thought it suitable, he bolted for the quiet stairwell and stood there for a minute - breathing as deeply and regularly as he could manage. He hadn't had to duck out like this for quite a while now, why had this young woman so disturbed him.

After probably too short a time to fully get a hold of himself, he emerged determined to resume his work and put the girl out of his mind as best he could.

Dr Allen blurted out: "Are you okay, Dr Murphy?"

A little irritated, Shaun replied perfunctly, "Yes, I am well."

"You didn't like that last patient." It was not a question.

His momentary hesitation betraying him, Shaun ignored the comment and led the duo onto their next patients.

But within a few hours, it was required of him to check on her - this time alone - as instructed by Dr Lim. He did so, if somewhat reluctantly.

"Hello." he spoke as he entered through the doorway.

"Hi." she replied; Shaun frowned, noticing something off about her voice but unable to pinpoint a difference.

"I'm just here to check your chart." he walked further into the room and stood by her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright. My head is not hurting right now. But the lights are a little bright, is there any way you could turn them down, or off?" Theia answered him.

"Yes." Shaun responded shortly, and then proceeded to turn the lights in the room to their minimal setting. Her chart seeming normal, he left her to her own devices.

As he exited the room, she called out to him.

"Doctor, wait."

"What is it?"

"What was your name again?"

"Dr Shaun Murphy."

"Dr Murphy, you're autistic right?"

"That is correct. I have autism." Shaun looked at the air around her, more intently than ever not meeting her eyes. "Does this cause a problem for you?"

"Not at all. In fact-"

She stopped abruptly and her features twisted somehow, morphing into a strangely emphatic expression that had not previously been there - although he recognised the difference as he watched it occur, Shaun had not noticed any lack of expressive facial expression prior. He pivoted swiftly to see who had entered and disrupted her - curious as to why or to whom, she had put up this emotive mask.

Doctors Park and Brown stood there, each with their typical 'in the patient's room speaking to a patient' smile fixed rigidly on their faces.

"Hello, Miss Taylor. How are you feeling?" Dr Park asked.

"Alright, I guess. A little tired, but my head doesn't hurt at the moment. That's good, right?" The picture of hopeful ignorance (or perhaps innocence) her tone emotive and littered with inflections and flowing cadence.

"Well your chart looks good, pulse and breathing looking great. As soon as an MRI is free we'll fit you in." Claire told her, matching her seeming brightness and (though professional) gaiety.

With cursory nods to Shaun, the pair exited; for a second, Shaun pondered as to why they left him with the patient - not beckoning him outside in some way - and questioned as to whether they had overheard some of the conversation from before they entered.

But then he turned to stare calculatingly at Theia, quickly enough to see her emotions practically slide off her face; one might have assumed she was putting on an emotionless mask to him, but Shaun's logic was telling him that this was not the case.

He had a 'gut feeling' and on an impulse, he ran with it.

"Why did you do that?" he asked her suddenly, after watching her silently for a minute - observing how she sighed, looked down at the bedsheet and smoothed it with one shaking hand.

"Do what, exactly?" She responded, curtly - but without any variance of pitch to imply emotive emphasis. Which had been so overtly present before.

"You relaxed your facial muscles and begin to speak in a monotone." Shaun explained, his thoughts racing. "Are you mocking me? Did you think that I would not notice?" he accused her, feeling somewhat hurt - despite having faced much prejudice against him by reason of his autism.

"Not at all." she answered, calmly - he would almost say, comfortingly. "There is just no need to pretend anymore. We can just be ourselves."

Shaun frowned as he mused on the implications of her words.

"You are-"

"I am autistic, yes." she cut him off, before adding, "And doctor-patient confidentiality compels you not to reveal that information, even to those other doctors."

"But in order to provide you with the best care, they should be informed." Shaun pointed out to her, trying not to appear condescending.

"I am aware of that, but confident that it will not impact my treatment. I am not at risk - you have no right to tell them of this. There are no grounds for concern due to this disclosure, you must maintain the proper confidentiality - understood.

He stood there, silent and sullen for a moment.

"Do you understand, Dr Murphy?"

"Yes, I understand. I will not tell anyone what you have told me."

There was silence for a moment as she seemed to assess his response (he suspected for potential loopholes) and upon apparently deeming it suitable, she nodded briskly.

He moved towards the door, when she spoke again and he stopped, swivelling to face her again although he still pointedly avoided her gaze - it was quite piercing. 

"There's no need for you to leave. I am not mad at you. I just had to be sure, my privacy is something I take very seriously. My business is nobody else's. Understand?"

"Yes." Shaun replied, "Was there something else you wanted? Or wished to discuss? I am available for another five and a half minutes, before I am needed elsewhere..."

**Author's Note:**

> I know nothing of medical stuff! Don't hurt me! 
> 
> Please comment and tell me what you think. In any case it will hurry up the finishing of this fic.
> 
> Have a great day!


End file.
